BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — Authorities say the pilot of an aircraft that went down in the North Carolina mountains late Thursday walked out of the wreckage and is leading searchers to the crash site.

According to the Civil Air Patrol, a light aircraft, presumed to have a single-engine, crashed in northern Buncombe County. The pilot and a passenger, who remained at the crash site, reportedly suffered minor injuries.

The pilot was able to call for help on his cell phone, but his cell phone battery died before he could clearly communicate his position. The pilot was located by officials in the Reems Creek area of Asheville at 7:47 a.m. Friday.

Buncombe County Fire Marshal Mac Sally said the 911 center received a phone call late Thursday from someone who said he and another person were flying to Asheville from Kentucky and that their plane had gone down. An emergency locator helped narrow the search to Reems Creek and Elk Mountain Scenic Highway.